RANT

[Hirsty]

Interesting to read all the opinions of everyone. I will now bore you with mine !!

 

Of course it was a poor performance today....you don't have to be Trevor Brooking ( who ? ) to know that ! But I feel some are over reacting a tad.

 

What gives Gravesend a divine right to win every game ( although I wish we did !). I think some think that it's a piece of p*ss in the Conference and we just have to turn up to win ? well it ain't !!!

 

This isn't Arsenal or Man U....it's a team of part time players who I am sure are doing their best...sometimes their best might not be good enough...but then that's Andy's job to sort out !

 

So....although gutted about losing to a poor Kettering side...you won't find me going OTT or booing at the end of the game, or leaving early...I'll stick with it and be there again to two weeks cheering the boys on to, hopefully, better things, as you all should be !!

 

Better things to spend £35 on ?? nah !! a cold day in industrial North Kent shouting and jumping up and down after a week of crap work, a few Strongbows in the belly....can't beat it mate.

 

So, the moral of the story ?....never give up on your team !!

Those who know me will vouch for my being a Sheff Wed fan of 37 years...and I still get very pissed off when they lose ( 1-1 home to Brighton yesterday ...classic..NOT !)...but do I give up on them ?? I think not !!

 

See you all there at the FGR game ( I hope !).

 

Cheers,

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" />

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FleetFanatic]

I don't think anybody is over- reacting.

I don't expect to win every game.

 

I do expect to see effort - I don't care what anybody says - in the second half there were certain players that you could see that just were not interested.

 

I.C. summed it up perfectly - it's not based on one game but on several and a drop from 7th to 16th.

 

Why do certain people think it is wrong to criticise performances?

I think that if it is OK to praise when things are good,

then the same when things are bad.

 

THIS IS A FORUM - A PLACE FOR DEBATE.

[Hirsty]

Quite right Daz.....hence my opening line !!....just voicing my personal

opinion in the debate to which, I assume, I am entitled also ?

 

Cheers,

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif" alt="" />

[Matt (GNFC)]

Hear hear Super Daz its a place for debate. A day on i still think what was written by most people is correct. Losing just like winning becomes a habit. I think that we over achieved last year and loathe as i am to say it, i think Canvey from 1 to 11 were a better side than us yet we had a better manager than them and above all team spirit and played as a unit which made us win the league. What we have in the side now are players who have been there done that and the thing that is missing from last yr is our ability to close people down. Last year, Mckimm, Owen, Smudger, Jacko to name but a few were terriers in midfield. Now that we're on a losing streak that element seems to be missing from the side. We need to get that hunger and desire back in the team. I agree with comments above that we really miss Steve Mckimm. An unsung hero who closed people down and scores goals. It still worries me that we signed Gary Abbott. We might just as well have got Steve Portway back for a spell. Younger and still scoring goals. There's no way Akpo or Boothy (who scored again yesterday) are worse players than Abbott. One thing id like to point out was that the new fella from Lewes looked bright when he came on for the second half. Again though, massive jump up in standard for the lad so a big gamble in a way.

[jc]

Okay, I.C.@GNFC, the game was terrible, but as I commented earlier, our recent fixtures have on the whole been extremely tough, and anyone who was expecting wins at Halifax, Scarborough and Morecambe is living in cloudcuckooland.

 

As for Matt (GNFC), I agree with you about the need for Liam to return as soon as possible, but must disagree with you about Jimmy Strouts. <img src="/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif" alt="" /> He has been poor recently, but so has the whole team, and his form earlier in the season was excellent.

 

Also, those calling for a prolific goalscorer have been doing so since the days of Steve Portway, and it will never stop. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif" alt="" /> Over the course of a season, Che will get goals, and the fact that we are the joint fifth highest goalscorers in the league at present despite being 16th perhaps shows that the problems lie at the other end of the pitch, where the constant changes to the back line owing to injuries and suspensions haven't helped. <img src="/forums/images/icons/frown.gif" alt="" />

 

I agree with Fleetman - we must get behind the team through these difficult times. Like everybody, I was devastated by the result, but I will be at Nuneaton next week, giving the lads the support they need. My main fear is that our home attendances will undoubtedly slip under 1000 as our 'new' fans who can't hack it disappear. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif" alt="" />

 

P.S. One bright spot from yesterday was the return of Tostao, who I thought put some good crosses in in the early stages of the first half. <img src="/forums/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

 

[Guest]

interesting to see nobody's voted for man of the match.i suggest it stays that way.

[FleetFanatic]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote jc:</font><hr />

Okay, I.C.@GNFC, the game was terrible, but as I commented earlier, our recent fixtures have on the whole been extremely tough, and anyone who was expecting wins at Halifax, Scarborough and Morecambe is living in cloudcuckooland.

 

<hr></blockquote>

 

What about home games this season against Telford, Leigh RMI & Kettering?

Perhaps I'm in cuckooland for expecting to win at all?

[Guest]

There are 26 postings below this and only one mention of Kettering when someone described them as the worst team in the Conference?

 

Where does that put you? I read all the score predictions last week, you all assumed the 3 points were in the bag didn't you?

 

Fact is we aren't as bad as our position shows. We have endured 6 games where opponents scored in extra time (including Yeovil). Point is if we're improving and Telford and Forest Green and Woking - you'd better watch out. One goal attempt yesterday, come on.

 

Get your act together, I was delighted when you pipped Canvey and there are other teams I'd sooner see go down but at the moment you're falling like a stone.

 

All the best

[Stu M]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>

I will no be about on thit board much but look forward to the comments from the likes of Alan W, Dave - gnfc, Stu M. It should be intereseting to hear you stick up fot the ridiculous fleet and stab me.

 

 

 

<hr></blockquote>

 

OK, Richard, if you insist. I'm only "stabbing" you cos you're stabbing the club you've previously purported to support. I'm not going to defend yesterday's non-performance. It was woeful from start to finish and heads need knocking together and things sorting out otherwise we'll be overtaken by Kettering, Forest Green, Woking and Stevenage and then relegated.

 

But to jack it in and threaten to send your shirt back? Come on, put your toys back in the pram and get back on those terraces and support your team, otherwise we deserve to be relegated.

 

It's an interesting time for the club now. We've all heard how great the new fans have been, singing and making noise - now let's stand up and be counted when things aren't going well. Let's see all those new fans stick by a struggling club and when we get out of this losing habit, sooner rather than later, we can all pat ourselves on the back and hope to f*** we're still in the Conference.

 

If those Kettering fans that made the trip yesterday had had your attitude, Richard C, and just turned their backs when they were losing every game, then they'd already be relegated. But things are looking up for them, so stick with it. We're missing Che, Macca, Owen and Duku - a considerable backbone of any team. We're better than yesterday and at least things can only improve!!

[David Holden]

If this is your reaction after a bad match how come you didn't rush off and buy a ten year season ticket after the home match with Scarborough or the match at Barnet?

[The Doctor]

Great point dave!

[Guest]

Anyone who has been following the Fleet for 11 years must have seen plenty of awful performances, yesterday was hardly a unique experience.

 

If you want to support someone who wins every week sit at home in front of the telly and pretend you are a Man Utd supporter with all the other w*nk*rs... if you want to be a real football fan then stand out in the cold and rain cheering the fleet on to yet another bloody loss then go home and kick the cat like everyone else does.

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/director.gif" alt="" />

 

Andy Ford is (bald) head and shoulders above any manager we've had since I've been following the Fleet if anyone can get us out of the current slump he can...and if he can't the worst that can happen is we go back to where we were last year and gates of 500 again.

 

At least they would be 500 real fans.

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/thefinger_red.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/thefinger_red.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/thefinger_red.gif" alt="" />

[Richard C]

I have to say i have been dreading this, but I feel I have to do it.

 

I WAS WRONG

 

I have never once shouted my dissaproval towards the players and always encouraged. I am so sorry for what i have said on here to have started this, but i just think the frustration got the better of me. Dave, Stu M, Alan etc you are right i think i wil have to learn to live with the bad as much as the good!! I am still young and naive and i do hope that people will still let me post on here and become my cheery old self again. I really do support the fleet and if you must know - dont support a premiership team. Im sorry for the people i have had a go at here and sorry for slagging the players off rather than congratulating - it was just frustrating to lose to a truly C*** team, i am NOT like that at all - I am not a turn coat who is going to abandon the fleet after this and i will be going to nuneaton with bateo and my bro ( and cheering on a win, performance and encouragement )

 

I WAS WRONG - if there was enough humble pie for me to eat then i would - sorry once more. Hope people still respect my opinions on here now and i will learn from this mistake i promise!!

 

One last point which is probably evident from the spelling of my original post is the fact i was drunk. (if that in anyway excuses me aswell) Im not joking when i say that everwhere i go and people i meet i talk about the fleet and get people interested - this was totally out of character for me - SOZ

 

Gravesend till i Die (still - honest)

[Blind Bigot]

The day people stop caring Dave, is the time to get seriously worried.

 

Clearly Fleet have passionate supporters who understandably are very upset when the team performs badly. You may say what do I know, he wasn't even at the game but the above posts sound very familiar to me. The Terriers websites are full of similar comments about our plight and while some people go overboard at the time of poor results, it's definately because they really, really care. While I don't agree with those who threaten to stop coming to games, they are surely just venting their post match frustration.

 

Keep the faith!

 

Cmon you Reeeeeeeeds!

 

BB

[David Holden]

Absolutely BB, I was just trying to point out to young Richard how silly I thought his post was.

 

But I am not completely innocent I was home watching the final result on Sky having left with 15 minutes to go.

 

Never mind, off to Nuneaton to watch a patched up defence get our first away clean sheet next week!

[FleetFanatic]

I stayed until the bitter end.

Do I get a compensation for the torture?

[Alan W (GNFC)]

£35 ?? Come off it Richard C - had we not been playing a home game, bet you'd have been down your local enjoying a few lunchtime pints & you'd have spent as much, if not more, than you will have done in the Fleet Clubhouse !!

 

Unless someone charges you differently, its only £9 to get in & £2 for a program - thats only £11 of absolute necessity(plus probably a couple of pounds worth of petrol or bus fares, etc). Anything above that is an option, so I dont think you can blame the Fleet for a waste of £35 !!

 

As you wanted a response, I can say I've been supporting the Fleet for something like 32 years now, and god help you if you are complaining at our standard of football yesterday - had you been around to see our days in the old Southern League in the 1970's, on mud heaps of pitches, you'd soon realise how far things have improved since that time.

 

We were all very disappointed by the performance and the result yesterday - whilst it was the weakest Fleet performance for many a game, it still probably turned on that chance that Barr had (& should have buried) in the first half with the score at 1-0. Had that gone in, I could see it having made a major difference to the way the rest of the game went, and I think we would have got at least a point.

 

 

We can all see from the league table, that all 3 of last seasons promoted teams have found life tough in the Conference, even Burton who had a considerably higher budget than us (I suspect). We started well, but have fallen short over the last half dozen games, whilst Kettering started poorly and have begun to pick up. Burton appear to have had a similar season to us thus far.

 

Its not easwy in the Conference and someties everything will go wrong. Lets put things into perspective here - look at the dreaded Man Utd a couple of seasons ago, where they had a poor run of results, including a thumping at Southampton. Who would have believed that could happen? Yet they still came back from that, and we can do the same - it will only take one or two good results to suddenly make the team feel better & for things to start improving again.

 

As supporters, we must stick with it - we have had a lot worse over the years, and we all know that Andy's judgement of players is generally good - lets not forget, however, that Andy is very much learning the ropes himself at this higher level - equally, lets not forget the stick we were giving him(and his players) when he first took over at Ryman level - I seem to recall critcisms that suggested it was more likely the club was going to fall apart and head downwards than get promotion within 2 or 3 seasons.

 

Whilst I would never suggest that yesterdays performance could be described as anyhting like acceptable, or that recent results are good, we can, and hopefully, will turn it round again.

 

And would some supporters really have preferred to have stayed in the Ryman League, so they could see us winning week in and week out, rather than move to a higher level, where defeat is more likely, but where we (andd indeed the players themselves) learn more about the teams limitations?

 

Sorry about the length of this, but I considered a balanced view was necessary here - the players never go out on the pitch with the aim of playing badly and losing - lets not forget that - but sometimes things just dont work out.

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/argue.gif" alt="" />

 

[FleetFanatic]

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" /> I agree. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" />

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/director.gif" alt="" /> Roll on Satruday - I haven't booked the afternoon off for nothing! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smilie_switch.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Alan W (GNFC)]

I'm obviously doing something wrong here - I mean, someone agreeing with me ??? <img src="/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[FleetFanatic]

No - you typed too much and it would have taken me all night to write my reply. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/biggrinangelA.gif" alt="" />

 

To be honest, I'm bored with it all now.

Like I said - roll on Saturday and my next 'fix' of The Fleet.